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details are finalised today, with day splits confirmed.

Razorlight

Friday 31 August

Main stage:
Razorlight
Saves The Day

Second stage:

The People The Poet
The Lash

Skindred

Saturday 1 September

Main stage:
Skindred
Lower Than Atlantis

Second stage (Lostprophets takeover):
Pulled Apart By Horses
Save Your Breath

Exit_International

Sunday 2 September

Main stage:
Kids In Glass Houses
Deaf Havana
We Are The Ocean
Future Of The Left
Don Broco
Straight Lines

Second stage (The Blackout takeover):
A (exclusive set)
Canterbury




Verses

In light of the new details, I talked to festival director Rhodri Jones to find out how he's looking at this year's event.

Lostprophets and The Blackout are each curating a stage, as Kids In Glass Houses did last year. How do you convince them to get on board?

"Luckily they didn't take much persuading! Both bands were really keen to get involved.

"Lostprophets have always been a band keen to support emerging Welsh talent and The Blackout have been big supporters of the festival since day one. It's turned out to be a great programme.

"Both bands put a lot of thought into their selections and have picked some amazing acts."

So who are you most looking forward to catching?

"It sounds like a cop out, but pretty much everything! We picked all the acts because they have that certain special something.

"The fact that A have reformed to play the festival [as part of The Blackout's stage takeover] is particuairly exciting though, and there isn't a better live band on the planet than Skindred right now."

Last year I praised the festival, and there was a great response generally, I think, so was there any pressure following up the success of 2011?

"It's incredible to see how passionate people are about an event that's only a year old! The pressure has definitely been there to replicate the quality and feel of the festival from last year, but it's good pressure because it shows that people loved the festival and feel like it belongs to them."

How has the festival reacted to any positive or negative feedback?

"We were overwhelmed by the amount of positive feedback we got from last year, which was great. Where people have suggested ways that things could be improved, we've done our best to accommodate them this year - things like improved camping, a seated chill-out area, increased publicity of our bus service back to Cardiff and other little site tweaks that will make the weekend even better this year."

What's the message to music fans across the country when it comes to Merthyr Rock?

"That an incredible weekend of music shouldn't have to cost a few hundred pounds, that 'boutique' festivals are more fun and get you closer to the bands you love, and that Wales is still a breeding ground for incredible talent."

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